https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-407-A-Calamity-With-Endless-Repercussions-Part-2-/12600389/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-408-A-Single-Hair-Move-That-Affects-the-Whole-Body-Part-2-/12600392/
Chapter 408: A Single Hair Move That Affects the Whole Body (Part 1)
Chapter 408: A Single Hair Move That Affects the Whole Body (Part 1)
Although the Taoist Decree was issued to the Great Tang Shushan Sect, and he was revered as the current leader of the Taoist sect, Lei Jun had no intention of making decisions for them.
Thus, after conveying the relevant news to the Great Tang Shushan Sect, he refrained from saying more.
The elders of the Shushan Sect's Xiading peak attached great importance to this matter upon learning of the situation.
Previously, after hearing a rough account of the Great Ming Shushan Sect's situation from Xu Yuanzhen, Lei Jun had discussed the matter with Zhang Taigang, Ji Chuan, and other members of the Great Tang Shushan Sect.
At that time, Zhang Taigang and the others had considered the Great Tang Shushan Sect's need for recuperation and had thus adopted a cold attitude towards their fellow sect members in the Great Ming's human world.
Now, after hearing the latest news, the Great Tang Shushan Sect's elders consulted among themselves and decided to send a high-achieving elder.
Leaving other matters aside, the Qiankun Riyue Hu was one of the six treasures of the Shushan Sect's founding, and its significance differed from that of other magical treasures. The Great Tang Shushan Sect had also been keeping a close eye on it.
As long as this treasure remained in the hands of the descendants of the Shushan Sect's founding in the Great Ming, there was no cause for concern. However, now that it had been confiscated by the Great Ming court, Zhang Taigang and the other disciples of the Great Tang Shushan Sect could not remain indifferent.
Ultimately, Ji Dongquan, the newly advanced elder with an eight-layer heaven cultivation base and Ji Chuan's father, arrived at the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain to meet with Celestial Master Lei Jun.
His age had already surpassed three hundred years, and his cultivation progress had not been as smooth as that of his son, Ji Chuan, who was currently in the golden stage of cultivation.
However, after years of accumulation and encountering the surge of spiritual energy between heaven and earth, he had successfully overcome the heavenly tribulation and made a breakthrough, advancing from the seventh layer of heaven to the eighth layer of heaven. He had finally attained the realm of immortal wanderer in the eight-layer heaven of the Taoist School of Artifact Refinement.
In recent years, the Great Tang Shushan Sect had been recuperating, and they finally welcomed another eight-layer heaven cultivator into their ranks.
After listening to Lei Jun's detailed account of the latest situation, Ji Dongquan contacted the Shushan Sect's Xiading peak again before continuing on his journey eastward towards the Overseas.
Upon arriving at Guicang, he paid a visit to Xiao Xuetin, who had come to take Zhang Hui's place.
With Xiao Xuetin's arrangements, Ji Dongquan secretly passed through the void portal left by Zhang Hui and Meng Shaojie, arriving in the Great Ming's human world.
There, Chu Kun and Xiao Chunhui received him.
"The person who came from the Great Ming Shushan Sect is named Li Miaozhen, and he is one of the outstanding figures among the younger generation," Chu Kun introduced as he briefed Lei Jun privately. "It can be confirmed that the person he represents is the new sect master of the Great Ming Shushan Sect, Yuan Qingci."
Lei Jun: "I see."
Yuan Qingci and Han Qingtao were fellow disciples and sibling disciples. They had entered the sect earlier than Han Qingtao, but their cultivation realms were inferior to Han Qingtao's. Before this, they had always maintained an eight-layer heaven perfect realm.
However, both within and outside the Great Ming Dynasty, including Xiao Chunhui, their evaluations of Yuan Qingci were not low.
According to rumors, Yuan Qingci had achieved the cultivation realm of immortal wanderer in the eight-layer heaven with four seas perfection of the Taoist School of Artifact Refinement long ago.
It was hard to say whether he had been unable to take that last step himself, or if it was due to the overall environment of the cultivation world in the Great Ming.
Facing the Great Ming Dynasty, whether it was Zhenwu Guan, Shushan Sect, or the Buddhist sacred site of Putuo Temple, only one cultivator of the nine-layer heaven realm had emerged in the same era.
Compared to the earlier cultivation worlds of Great Tang and Great Han, this was already a significant improvement.
However, whether it was the cultivation world of Great Tang or Great Han, the surge of spiritual energy between heaven and earth had only occurred in the past hundred years or so.
On the other hand, the Great Ming's human world had been experiencing the surge of spiritual energy between heaven and earth for hundreds of years, and there were numerous Grand Scholars of the Nine-Layer Heaven in Confucianism.
In comparison, the current situations of Zhenwu Guan, Putuo Temple, and Shushan Sect in the Great Ming's human world might not be entirely due to a lack of talent.
Specifically, regarding the Great Ming Shushan Sect, if they were to produce a Grand Sage of the Nine-Layer Heaven in the Taoist realm, then Han Qingtao, who originally descended from the Great Ming Dynasty's royal family, would undoubtedly be in a more advantageous position than Yuan Qingci.
However, the elders in the Great Ming Dynasty's court had ultimately misjudged Han Qingtao's matter.
Han Qingtao had become a rebel, leading the disciples under her to leave the sect's Xiading peak and sever their ties with the Shushan Sect.
Yuan Qingci, who was second-in-command under Han Qingtao, took over the position of sect master, but his situation did not improve much.
Countless eyes were watching him and the remaining members of the Great Ming Shushan Sect.
It was no exaggeration to say that they were facing turbulent times and that a greater calamity could befall them at any moment.
Only now, as the Great Ming Dynasty began marshaling its troops in preparation for a northern expedition against the exotic tribes and the Western Regions' Buddhist sects, did Yuan Qingci and the Great Ming Shushan Sect finally catch a breather.
"It is still uncertain whether this new sect master of the Great Ming Shushan Sect has the spare capacity to attain the nine-layer heaven realm. After all, he has been held back for too long," Chu Kun said. "But even if he has sufficient confidence, he probably still dare not act rashly now. There are still many eyes watching him within and outside the Great Ming Dynasty."
Lei Jun: "Although it was this new sect master of the Great Ming Shushan Sect who initiated the contact with our side, the current situation of the Great Ming Shushan Sect is unstable, and their hearts are wavering. The gap between him and unifying the entire sect is probably also not insignificant."
Chu Kun: "Sect Master, I feel the same way."
Lei Jun: "Elder Ji has already left, so we shall leave the related matters to the Shushan Sect's fellow cultivators to decide for themselves. You should also focus on your own matters, lest you neglect them."
Chu Kun: "Sect Master, please rest assured. I am cautious and aware of the situation. Currently, everything is proceeding smoothly, but it might take a longer time than expected. This was unforeseen before my departure, and I may need to trouble you to shoulder some of my responsibilities here."
Lei Jun still did not inquire about the specifics of Chu Kun's matters, and he only replied, "I will arrange for someone to assist you."
On the other hand, Chu Kun continued, "By chance, utilizing the unique geographical environment of the Great Ming, I attempted to induce the manifestation of a wondrous treasure, the Supreme Azure Crystal. Hopefully, several of them can be produced."
"The Supreme Azure Crystal is indeed a wondrous treasure," Lei Jun commented.
The related treasures had been extinct in the Great Tang's human world for many years.
The last time they appeared was over two thousand years ago when a senior of the Great Tang Shushan Sect utilized one for cultivation.
This treasure was lush with spiritual essence and shrouded in mystery. Even Grand Masters of the Nine-Layer Heaven in the Taoist realm could cultivate with its aid, but it had always been scarce. In the tales from two thousand years ago, there was only mention of a single piece.
Listening to Chu Kun at the moment, he seemed confident about doing more.
"Using Big Brother's often-quoted words, it is better to be cautious and prudent," Lei Jun said.
Chu Kun wholeheartedly agreed: "Yes, brother."
........................
In the mortal world of the Great Ming.
In the capital city, Jing Shi.
In the residence of Zhou Mingzhe, the second-ranking official of the Cabinet.
Zhou Mingzhe looked well-maintained, resembling a middle-aged man in his forties, with a scholarly and handsome appearance, only his temples betrayed a hint of age.
Xi Zhichang, the current Left Assistant Minister of Rites and Zhou Mingzhe's proud disciple, sat below him, his face bearing a hint of worry: "This time, Assistant Prime Minister has decided to personally supervise the war in the northwest. Aside from being imprudent, it also shows his strong resolve."
Zhou Mingzhe smiled and said, "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond. Now that I have promised to lend Assistant Prime Minister my support, he no longer has any worries.
The northern expedition against the barbarians and the western campaign against Mount Sumeru are in line with the will of the palace. Moreover, the Qin faction is entirely under Assistant Prime Minister's watch."
Xi Zhichang spoke softly, "Teacher, do you think this war will be a success?"
Zhou Mingzhe replied calmly, "The Heavenly Principle, the Southern Border, and the Eastern Sea of Ruins are all quiet for now. If the five divisions of the Vajra Realm of Mount Sumeru were intact, the outcome of this war might be uncertain. But with at least two of the five divisions gone, even if there are some unexpected events, our Great Ming can still handle it."
Xi Zhichang fell silent upon hearing this.
Zhou Mingzhe calmly glanced at his proud disciple.
Xi Zhichang lowered his voice even further, "It is indeed beneficial to spread the might of our Great Ming and eliminate the long-standing threat in the northwest. But after Assistant Prime Minister achieves such a feat, will he not aim even higher in his pursuit of pacifying the world..."
The Prime Minister, Chen Yu, represented not only himself but also stood as the leader of the Wu faction.
Similarly, Zhou Mingzhe was not just an individual but also the leader of the Chu faction while being the second-ranking official of the Cabinet.
Zhou Mingzhe maintained his calm gaze at Xi Zhichang.
Xi Zhichang remained composed and said, "This is a national war, and I have no objection. I am merely considering whether we should also make a trip to the northwest."
Zhou Mingzhe replied in an unhurried tone, "Be patient for now."
Xi Zhichang responded, "Yes, I was being impetuous."
Zhou Mingzhe looked up at the hall above, and after a while, he said, "Not only the Buddhist and Taoist sects, but also other paths like the martial artists... It has been a long time since scholars like us have risen above the clouds and made our names immortal like the Confucian saints of old."
After this sigh, he fell silent.
But Xi Zhichang had already understood his master's meaning.
The term "scholars" did not refer to all Confucian cultivators in a general sense.
Although it was true that since the great calamity at the end of the Han dynasty millennia ago, no Confucian cultivator from any lineage had achieved immortality, Xi Zhichang knew that Zhou Mingzhe was specifically referring to their school of Neo-Confucianism.
Neo-Confucianism had replaced classical Confucianism as the foremost school of thought within Confucianism and had even become the dominant philosophy in the Great Ming Dynasty, spreading throughout the land.
Whether it was Chen Yu, Chao Feng, Gao Ming, Zhou Mingzhe, Xi Zhichang, or even Liu Chong and other Neo-Confucian scholars from the Qin faction, despite their differing political views and interests, they all revered the principles of Neo-Confucianism as their guiding light, firmly believing and unwavering in their devotion.
However, since its emergence during the Daliang Dynasty, through the subsequent Dagan Dynasty ruled by barbarians, and up until the present Great Ming Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism had failed to produce a Confucian saint of the ninth tier of heaven.
The surge of spiritual energy in the heavens and the earth had been ongoing for hundreds of years, yet still, none had emerged.
Of course, Neo-Confucianism, from its birth to the present, had a history of less than two thousand years.
Although it had already become the orthodox school of Confucian thought, in a certain sense, it was still a relatively young school of thought in terms of lineage.
Chen Yu, Zhou Mingzhe, Liu Chong, as well as Gao Ming, Chao Feng, and Xi Zhichang, were all eminent scholars of their time. While venerating the words of the saints, they also continuously improved their own scholarship.
Constantly exploring and experimenting.
Prime Minister Chen Yu's upcoming northern expedition was not only a fulfillment of his personal ambition but also a test of a path.
For the sake of both the state and his own faction, as the head of the Great Ming Dynasty's officials and the leader of the most powerful Wu faction, he could not allow anyone to sabotage this endeavor in secret.
This time, Zhou Mingzhe truly had no intention of secretly undermining the Prime Minister's efforts and was even willing to lend his support.
In exchange, Chen Yu offered a price that satisfied Zhou Mingzhe.
At the same time, Zhou Mingzhe wanted to see the outcome of Chen Yu's attempt.
If Chen Yu succeeded, there would undoubtedly be significant repercussions.
But Zhou Mingzhe would also gain additional benefits.
And if Prime Minister Chen failed...
"Prepare to enter the Cabinet." Zhou Mingzhe instructed his disciple, "Regardless of the outcome of this war."
Xi Zhichang took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, Teacher."
A servant from the residence came to report.
Zhou Mingzhe then instructed Xi Zhichang to receive a group of guests on his behalf.
After changing his clothes, the second-ranking official of the Great Ming Dynasty went to the front hall to meet another guest.
Upon the host's arrival, a young man with a jade-like face, a ethereal bearing, and calm eyes rose from his seat in the front hall and said, "I apologize for disturbing your rest, Lord Zhou."
Zhou Mingzhe smiled and invited the young man to sit down, "It was I who invited you here, Master Mu. Please, don't stand on ceremony."
The young man with the appearance of a youth was none other than Mu Chunyang, the master of the True Martial Sect of the Great Ming.
"This northern expedition will be challenging for you, Master Mu. I appreciate your efforts." Zhou Mingzhe said, "Some of the younger officials in Assistant Prime Minister's faction have been acting increasingly frivolous lately. Please don't take their words to heart. Assistant Prime Minister has the country's interests at heart, and it is only natural that he might neglect supervision in his daily affairs. I have already instructed the Chengdu Inspection Department to reprimand them. This northern expedition is of great importance, and I hope you can put aside past grievances and lend your full support to Assistant Prime Minister."
Mu Chunyang replied, "Lord Zhou, you are too kind. I understand the importance of this northern expedition, and I am grateful for your protection of our sect over the years.
(End of Chapter)
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